Page 14 - May 2020

WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay

by Philip Hawkins and Mike McLeod

$1,875 (27 bids, 9 bidders): Old Vintage Antique Grinnell Automatic $7,287 (20 bids, 10 bidders): 1892 American Bell
Fire Sprinkler Wooden Red Cabinet Box. Spare sprinklers for use after a Company Brass Candlestick Telephone Phone.
fire. Has instructions on the inside of the door. Measures 10 3/4 inches tall This seems to be mostly solid brass with black early
x 9 inches wide x 3 1/2 inches deep. Snap lock works fine on the door. plastic mouthpiece and earpiece. Someone has added
Included inside are 12 old all brass fire sprinkler heads and one black heavy felt to the base but is easily removed. Every joint
metal sprinkler head wrench model S10H1B. All made by the General Fire moves and things unscrew; fine hole in the base.
Extinguisher Company in Providence, Rhode Island. Grinnell brass sprinkler Weighs about 5 1/2 lbs. Marked on the back of
heads are as follows: one 1896 Model A 155F with 14 fins on the deflector, the brass part of the mouthpiece: “PROPERTY
one 1901 Model A 155F with 14 fins on the deflector, two 1916 Model A OF THE AMERICAN BELL TELEPHONE
155F with 11 fins on the deflector, two 1920s water curtain open deluge COMPANY, PATENTED JAN.15.78. RE-DEC.
sprinklers with no markings, one 1920 Model A 155F with 11 fins on the 14.80. SEP.30.79. AUG.2.81. DEC.6.81. JUL.9.89.
deflector, three 1929 Model A 155F with 11 fins on the deflector, one 1935 NOV.17.91. MAY.3.92. NOV.1.92. OTHER
Model A 155F True Pendant with 8 fins on the PATENTS APPLIED FOR.” Marked on the front of the brass part of the
deflector, one Grinnell Protectospray Model D3 mouthpiece: “117277.” Base diameter: 5 1/4 inches, height if mouthpiece
140-16 deluge spray sprinkler. All in very good pointed straight up: 13 1/4 inches. Earpiece length: 5 1/4 inches. Sold as
condition for their age. (Photos courtesy of eBay found. (Photos courtesy of eBay seller retrorevivalorcity.)
seller llabesab17.)
PH: The Year 1892 marked the first patent and production of the candlestick
phone which was a huge improvement over the bulky wall-mounted, wooden
models used prior. The new style phones were made in various materials
including brass, chrome plate, wood, Bakelite, and combinations of these.
The use of this style phone was concentrated between 1892 and 1926 when
cradle phones made their debut. A number of manufacturers made these
phones including Western Electric, Automatic Electric Co., Kellogg
Switchboard, and Stromberg Carlson.
The potbelly models by these companies attract the most collector atten-
tion, and where typical candlestick phones generally bring less than $500 at
PH: Fredrick Grinnell, a retired railroad engineer, patented his first fire auction, potbelly versions might bring ten times more. This particular phone
sprinkler head in 1882. He organized the General Fire Extinguisher is early, rare, in reasonably good condition and one a collector would pay a
Company in 1892. Continuing improvements and slight modifications to premium to own. The price paid was fair to both parties in the transaction.
that original sprinkler head result in its continued use today. Grinnell died in
1919, and his company was renamed Grinnell Fire Extinguisher Company
and is now part of Tyco Fire Protection Products. $3,906 (51 bids, 17 bidders): Antique Jean-Jacques Feuchere French
This box dates from the 1920s and probably contained a group of Bronze Sculpture, Leonardo Da Vinci Artist. Signed “J. Feuchere, Sclp.,”
12 identical replacement fire heads. The combination of the storage box and this large 19th century bronze sculpture is by the French artist, Jean-Jacques
a variety of sprinkler heads, some probably rare, might be the price driver Feuchere (1807-1852). This prolific sculptor was known for his detailed
for the seller. bronzes of important, biblical, historical, and metaphysical people. Measuring

17 1/2 inches tall by 14 inches wide and 8 1/2 inches deep, this detailed
bronze sculpture depicts the 16th century Italian Old Master Leonard Da
$891 (13 bids, 6 bidders): Antique 1700s Apothecary Jar, Italy Savona Vinci (1452-1519). He is shown sitting with a tablet in his hands and his
Majolica Levantino Wet Drug Jar. Magnificent early 1700s “Stagnone paint pallet and books by his feet. This finely cast sculpture is in excellent,
di Farmacia” (wet drug jar) marked with the Genoa original condition with no restorations. There are a couple of light surface
lighthouse mark of the Levantino Family of Savona. There scratches to the base and a couple of small wear spots to a few high-points,
are a couple of chips to the foot and some minor scattered but that’s it! (Photos courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12.)
chips to the enamel. Measures 18 inches tall and 12 1/2
inches at the widest point. Outstanding example! (Photos PH: While the sculptor was fairly prolific, his works do
courtesy of eBay seller abclovell.) not cross the auction block with regularity. Sculptures
surmounting clocks were popular in the mid- and late
PH: This is a highly decorative piece. It has all the “bells 19th century and several by Feuchere are known. A
and whistles:” dragon handles, applied masks, and clock surmounted by the same Da Vinci sculpture went
wonderful hand-painted figural decoration – but unsold in July 2019. Most reported auction sales are at
probably missing the original lid. Size, style, and figures less than $4,000 with the exception of his figure
decoration indicate it might date a bit later and of Mephistopheles with two reported auction sales
perhaps should have been described as “in the style exceeding $15,000. Other historical subjects depicted
of.” The price is higher than that by Feuchere include Michelangelo and Guttenberg
of typical majolica/faience
apothecary jars at auction but Philip Hawkins, ISA AM, AAG is an accredited member of the International
less than some at retail. Society of Appraisers and a founding member of the Appraisers Association of
Georgia. He can be reached via the ISA website or at 404-320-7275.

12 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles